Breathe
by MuseBerry
Summary: Furihata had problems, and after a chance encounter with Akashi, everything changes. Both of them are little broken, but maybe they could fix each other? AKAFURI! (Rated M because I'm paranoid)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. Would I really be writing _fanfiction_ if I did?**

* * *

Furihata Kouki was, naturally, afraid of a lot of things. He thought it was completely normal. After all, it wasn't like any of his fears were unwarranted or anything. They made sense. Or else, they made sense to him. His family was another story. His father often avoided his eyes, and when the man did have to interact with him, he was stiff. How could he deal with such a wimp for a son? His mother constantly fretted over him. Always worried about her poor baby boy being terrified out of his wits. But, like his father, she didn't think his fear was normal.

The only who seemed to understand him, even if it was just a smidgen, was his younger sister. Furihata Chou was everything her brother wasn't. She was smarter, more attractive, and much more social than her older brother could have ever hoped to be. But if there was something they both shared, it was their kindness. Furihata couldn't dare turn someone who needed help away, and neither could his sister. So when his fearful nature was revealed, Chou did her best to help him out.

However, it wasn't enough. He still flinched when someone brushed past him in the hallways at school. He still apologized profusely when he made a mistake. He still eyed the strangers in the market or street warily. He still made sure all the locks were secure in the house. He still walked to school so he didn't have to take the subway. He still ran home when it was nearing nighttime. He still trembled in fear when someone unfamiliar to him started to talk to him.

He should've guessed that his sister would've gotten sick of his behavior at some point.

"Why won't you just face them?" She asked him, her brown eyes staring into his own. "Kouki, this is serious. Very serious."

"It's nothing to worry about, Chou." He tried to reassure her. "I'm fine. It'll pass."

She shook her head. "I don't think so." She said softly. "You're scared of everything-"

"That isn't true!" Furihata interjected. "I'm not scared of basketball."

Chou gave him a small smile. "I know you love it." She murmured. The smile slipped off her face. "But you can't possibly hope that it'll stay that way forever, right?"

Furihata folded over himself as he grasped his knees. "What are you saying?" He found himself asking before he could control his mouth.

Chou looked like she didn't want to respond, but she let the words spill from her lips. "What if you get injured?" She asked. "I remember that game you told me about. You know, the one with Hana-something. The one where the other team played dirty and hurt your teammates? Imagine that, Kouki. It's only going to be a matter of time before you get hurt playing. What if the same team plays next year and targets you?"

"I… "

Furihata didn't really know what to say to that. He watched his sister fiddle with her middle school uniform awkwardly as she looked around her room trying to flee from his gaze. Instead of saying something to reassure her that it was okay, he said what was on his mind. "It won't happen." He told her firmly.

"Kouki," she said, connecting her eyes to his once again. This time, he was the one who broke away and refused to meet her eyes. "I didn't mean to be rude or hurt your feelings, but I'm really worried about you. You're scared of everything, and that'll hurt you more than it'll help you."

Returning his focus t her emotional eyes was something Furihata shouldn't have done. He could see the concern clear in those chocolate orbs, and he could see the sincerity in them as well. And most importantly, he couldn't bring himself to be angry with her for implying that he should be scared of basketball. She was right in a way. Furihata was afraid of pain, a fear that had long surpassed his others in its intensity. Something heavy sunk into his chest. Chou was right. What if Kirisaki Daiichi team hurt any of him or his teammates next year? What ifs rang in his head as he scenarios flashed in his mind.

He was dribbling and someone shoved him to the ground, twisting his ankle with a resounding snap. He was running to pass the ball when an elbow crashed into his face; the referee unaware of what had went down. He was about to grab the ball when he tripped over the feet of another player, cracking his skull on the court. He was about to make a score, but a hard fist rammed into his stomach punishingly. Pain. Pain. Pain.

He sucked in a large breath, startling his sister. He squeezed his eyes closed and forced himself to breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth. A warm hand clasped his shoulder, and he could feel Chou lean in closer to him on her bed.

"Kouki? Are you okay?" She asked, worry lacing her tone.

"I'm fine." He choked out.

He was not fine though. The oxygen was disappearing from the air, and he felt like he couldn't get enough in his lungs to breathe properly. He felt like he was burning up, his skin a scorching flame. His eyes flashed open and he darted for his winter coat. Quickly throwing it on, he glanced at Chou who stared at him in shock.

"I'm going to go out." He blurted out. "I'll see you soon."

Furihata didn't wait for a reply from the brunette, and he ran out the room with escape dominating every thought of his. He was out of the house in a moment, the door slamming shut behind him. For once, he didn't care what his neighbors thought of him as he sprinted down the sidewalk.

The winter air stung his cheeks mercilessly, and Furihata wished he had grabbed a scarf along with his coat. He wrapped his arms around himself as a shiver ran down his spine at the coldness seeping into the warmth of his clothes. While it was absolutely freezing outside, he appreciated the temperature for cooling his heated skin and forcing him to breathe easier.

He exhaled from his mouth and watched a puff of silvery air float out. Anxiety still lingered in the corner of his mind, a place where all of his fears dwelled and he dared not to venture into. Furihata knew that he had a lot of fears, but the sheer notion that basketball—the sport he loved—could hurt him chilled him to the bone. He remembered the girl in his class who would've dated him if he were good at something perfectly. She started everything. Because of her, he picked up basketball and found it fun to play. And even though the girl he liked was dating the baseball captain the very next day, Furihata couldn't feel more than a tiny pang of sadness. After all, he still had something left. He had basketball.

After he was a safe distance away from the house, he let himself drink in his surroundings. He was in the part of the city where stores and restaurants were all around him. Couples huddled close to each other, mothers were holding hands with their children, and friends were knocking into each other with wide grins. He smiled at the scene around him before locking his attention on a little café on the corner of the street. Soft cursive spelling the name of the place, Airi's Café, greeted his eyes.

Deciding it wouldn't hurt to drink something warm in the cold weather, Furihata hurried to the café. Once inside, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and sweets assaulted his nose. It was warm inside, not overly so, but enough to create a homey feeling. He took a seat in a secluded booth in the back of the café, and patiently awaited a waiter or waitress to notice him. It didn't take long for a blonde teenager in a green uniform to bounce over to him.

"Hello sir," she chirped, "what can I get you today?"

"Um…" He glanced down at the menu on the table. There were so many foods there! What was he going to choose?

Sensing his indecisiveness, the blonde waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, sir. It's super cold outside today, so why don't you settle for some warm soup? Or a nice drink, we specialize in coffee, of course."

Furihata looked at the soup and drink section of the menu. His stomach rumbled in hunger, and he faintly remembered getting ready to eat lunch when his sister dragged him in for a talk. "What soup do you recommend," he looked at her nametag, "Mai?"

Mai beamed at him brightly. "Really? Well, the miso soup is yummy and so is the ramen. But our foreign soups are quite popular and delicious. What do you think?"

Furihata's cheeks reddened as Mai's blue eyes concentrated on his face intensely. "Uh," he stammered. "Whatever you think is the best. I don't mind trying something new."

The blonde squealed. "You are so cute when you blush, you know that? I recommend the Country Potato Soup, a recipe from France. It's, obviously, made from potatoes. There's also bacon and cheese on the top, but I prefer to mix the bowl so they're everywhere."

Furihata bit his lip. "Is it good?"

Mai nodded. "It's really good." She said seriously. "It sounds plain, but the taste is so lovely and warm. I never regret ordering it."

He smiled at her. "Alright, I'd like to order one of those and a Coca-Cola."

Mai winked at him and jotted it down on a little notepad she pulled out of her apron. "Because you're such a sweetheart, I'll give you a dessert free of charge."

"I can't possibly ask you to do that!" He exclaimed.

Mai rolled her eyes. "It's perfectly fine."

He wasn't so sure it was. Wasn't it bad to give away free food from your job? "Won't," he started hesitantly, "you get in trouble for doing that?"

The blonde shrugged. "Eh. When you're the daughter of the woman who owns this restaurant, giving away a little food every once in a while isn't so bad."

"What's that I hear about giving away free food?" A woman chimed as she approached them. She had light brown hair with gentle blue eyes. Looking closer, Furihata noticed that they were the same shade as Mai's. She was wearing the green uniform as well with colorful paper jammed into the apron.

"You won't believe it, mom, but this guy is so sweet!" Mai gushed. "He has manners, unlike some people." She threw a glare at an orange haired male on the other side of the room.

"Speaking of ill-mannered people, Kenji is waiting for you over there." Mai's mom said, gesturing the same orange haired teen. "You know he won't speak to anyone but you."

"But mom," Mai whined pitifully, "Kenji is a jerk."

"Go on, Mai. Kenji's waiting, and we serve everyone. Don't forget to give the cook this boy's order." Mai's mom said patiently.

Mai sighed. "Okay." She looked back at Furihata. "I got to go serve that jerk over there. But please, enjoy your soup and let my mom know what dessert you want. It's on the house."

The blonde stopped by the kitchens, handing someone a slip of paper, and then stomped over to Kenji's table, and from where Furihata was sitting; it looked like they engaged in an argument. A smug smirk perched on the orange haired man's lips. His attention was stolen by the soft cough from Mai's mother.

"So my daughter offered you a dessert?" She said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Yes, but you don't have to." He replied. "I can pay for it, ma'am."

Mai's mother hummed. "I'm the owner of the café, Fujiwara Airi. Please, call me Airi."

"Okay." He said automatically.

Airi smiled at him. "What dessert would you like?"

Furihata froze. "What?"

Airi laughed. "Well, Mai did offer you a free dessert. And you look like a nice boy, so why not? Now pick something, or I'll do it for you." The woman threatened lightly.

Furihata nodded and quickly scanned through the menu. "Can I have a slice of strawberry cake, please?"

"Of course." Airi nodded. "I'll be back soon with your order."

The brown-haired woman walked back into the kitchens, and he was left alone again. After several moments of silence, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Furihata flipped it open without thinking and read the message he got, a familiar suffocative sensation washing over him.

_I'm so sorry…I'm just worried about you. Maybe seeing a professional about your fears will help? Anyways, I'm going to a friend's house. So don't be worried if I'm not home. Mom and dad left for the airport. Please text me back. I want to know if you're safe._

It was a text from Chou. He stared at it unseeingly, and he remembered his parents telling him about the business trip they needed to go on. His father didn't do much talking during it. It was his mother who got emotional and asked if he was going to be okay with her leaving. He reassured her it was fine, and that was that. They were going to be gone for nearly four weeks, and he was expected to take care of Chou. He felt failure douse him. He was supposed to be watching over his younger sister, and instead he runs out because he couldn't control himself? Weak.

He was thrown out of his musings when Mai placed a bowl of soup in front of him with his drink on a coaster next to it. Her face was bright red, and she looked ready to punch something. Nervously, he opened his mouth. "Are you okay, Mai?"

Mai shook her head. "I'm good. It's just that," she made an exasperated noise, "that idiot over there got to me."

Furihata's eyes wandered over to where Kenji sat. The orange haired teen was looking in their direction, the smug smirk still on his face. "He's looking over here right now." He whispered to her, even though the chances of the boy hearing them were next to nil.

"Oh." Mai said unhappily. "Enjoy your meal, sweetheart. I'm going to go hide in the bathroom or something. Be safe, okay?"

He faintly flushed and smiled at her. "Sure, Mai. Be careful, too."

"Always am." She said before fast walking to the bathroom. The door thudding shut as she closed it behind her.

He looked at where she disappeared to for a second before focusing his attention on the food in front of him. There was a bowl of steaming white liquid and the cheese and bacon Mai had described. Cautiously dipping his spoon into the bowl, he brought the utensil to his lips and blew on it. Once he deemed it cool enough, he stuck it in his mouth and enjoyed the flavor bursting on his taste buds.

It was good. And before he knew it, he already ate the last spoonful of it. Looking down at the empty bowl mournfully, he sipped his drink thoughtfully. The sky looked darker than it had when he had first arrived, so some time must have passed while he was eating his soup. He looked around the café. In fact, the place wasn't as busy as it had been earlier. A familiar shadow fell across him, and he saw Airi's cheerful face.

"Here's that strawberry cake you ordered." She said, carefully setting down a small plate. "I was waiting until you finished before dropping it on you. Most people don't like being bombarded by food at once. We're going to close soon, but take your time."

Furihata blinked. "Really? What time is it?"

Airi looked at the watch on her wrist. "It's about 6:45, and our business hours are from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m."

"Thank you, but it's really late. Do you mind if I get a to go box." He asked politely, and the woman only shook her head.

"Not at all. Let me grab you one."

Airi dashed to the front desk and came back with a little styrofoam box in hand. She placed in down in front of him, and watched him carefully nudge the cake into the container. "Thank you so much." Furihata said once he finished.

"That'll be 937.08 yen." Airi said.

He nodded and fished in his pocket for the money. Grabbing it, he handed it to her with a small smile. She smiled back and nudged him. "Come back and visit us anytime. We'd love to have company like you."

He smiled wider. "Of course." He straightened up and wrapped his coat around him tighter. "Goodbye Airi. Tell Mai that I said bye. Oh, and thank you for the free dessert."

"It was nothing. Now get home," she said sternly, "the streets are dangerous at night. And even if you're as strong as an ox, you don't have to be stupid about it. Got it?"

Furihata grasped the box in his hands. "Got it."

"Good." Airi said.

He left the café with a wave and exited feeling much happier than when he went in. Stepping outside of the warm area, he was suddenly attacked by the vicious bites from the wind. It nipped his skin painfully, and he burrowed into his coat. It was way colder than it had been earlier, and the streets were strangely emptier than usual. A few cars passing, some people walking, but it was obvious that no one really wanted to leave their buildings to wander around in the cold.

He held the box tighter in his hand and wondered if his sister would like the cake. He thought about eating it for himself, but thinking of how their talk ended, he decided it would be a small apology for his miniature freak out. Chou was only trying to help him, and even if she did go about it in the wrong way, she had tried.

Furihata tore down the sidewalk in a fast paced stroll. He had felt comfortable enough in the café, but outside of it, his fears were starting to creep in, nasty dark monsters edging the corners of his mind, and slowly invading. He could feel his heartbeat quicken slightly, and he tightened his grip on the box, almost squeezing it.

It was at that point that the people on the street began to look suspicious, and every alleyway made his anxiety spike up as he thought about might be lurking in the blackness where he couldn't see. It was until he rounded another corner that he bumped in a broad-shouldered male with a scar on his nose.

He yelped and nearly dropped the strawberry cake in his hands. Heart now racing, he peered up at the man with worried eyes. "I'm sorry!" He squeaked in terror as he finally noticed the intimidating height of the man he had just knocked into.

The man only gave him a charming smile with dark forest green eyes. "It's perfectly fine." His face fell. "If you don't mind me asking, have you seen a little girl running around her?"

"A little girl?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah." The man said. "She's about this tall," he gestured to his hip, "and she has brown hair like me and the same eye color too."

"No." Furihata said after racking his brain for any memory of seeing such girl. "I haven't seen one around."

"I saw her turn the corner just now, and if you haven't seen her…." The man trailed off.

He understood exactly where the man was going with his train of thought. "She must have run into the alley." He breathed.

"That's what I think." The man said. His face twisted in distress. "Do," he swallowed nervously, not meeting Furihata's eyes, "do you mind helping me look for her? It's just…. She's my daughter, and I can't lose. I can understand if you don't want to help, but it would mean so much to me if you can."

His green eyes bore into his chocolate ones, and he knew he couldn't say no to the raw amount of unadulterated concern and panic in the man's eyes. "I'll help you." He said firmly. "What's your name?"

"Minoru." The man answered, hope blooming on his handsome features.

Furihata blushed when he realized that the man he had bumped into was attractive. Tousled hair, tanned skin, pink lips, beautiful eyes, and a well-muscled body from what he could see. He shook himself from his little reverie. He had to help Minoru find his daughter, not think about how pretty his face was.

"I'm Furihata." He offered. He didn't think he needed to give Minoru his first name. There were just strangers on the street, after all.

The brown-haired man tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Let's look for Ayame then."

Without another word, Minoru went into the alley with Furihata following closely behind. They didn't speak, and the only thing they could hear was the sound of cars passing and water dripping from somewhere around them. He had a bet that it was the drainage pipe they had just passed.

They journeyed deeper inside until Minoru stopped. He looked up at the taller man with questioning eyes. "Uh. Minoru, there isn't anyone here-"

In a flash, the man had him shoved up against a wall, his nails digging painfully into the sleeves of his coat. The container he was holding slipped out of his hand and crashed to the ground. He winced at the way Minoru was holding his arms too tightly. Furihata could swear that he could feel them on his skin despite the layer of clothing between them. "Minoru? What are you doing?" He choked out.

"What do you think?" The man sneered. His face twisted into something that was definitely not attractive. It was an expression completely opposite to the kind yet worried one he had worn earlier. "You're an idiot Furihata."

"What?" He stuttered.

"'I lost my daughter,'" He said mockingly. "'Can you help me find her?' What a load of crap. You have to be completely stupid to believe that."

"Minoru-" He tried again only to be cut off by a pair of lips crashing on to his own without warning.

Several beats later of bruising one-sided kissing, Minoru left his lips with a teasing bite. Furihata could taste the copper, and fought the cringe building up in him at the horrible taste. "Listen here," the taller man whispered menacingly, "you're not going to put up a fight, got it?"

Furihata didn't breathe as the idea rushed through his panicked thoughts. He could try to push him off and make a break for it. He eyed to exit of the alleyway. Maybe he could make it. If he just…

Something cold touched his neck, and he almost fainted at the sight of a silver blade sliding across the vulnerable skin. Minoru had a knife, a knife that had the power to end him with just one little flick of the wrist. He felt panic worm into his chest like a thick lead weight, and he could already feel himself surrendering to the lightheaded feeling enveloping his brain like an unwanted anesthetic.

"If you even think about screaming," the man mumbled into his ear, "I will slit your throat and let you bleed out. You'll choke on your blood with the color red being the last thing you'll ever see. Do you understand me? Nod if you do."

Furihata shakily nodded and his breathing hitched at the low chuckle that rumbled from Minoru's chest. The man licked his ear, and he struggled to resist the urge to squirm from the action. He felt incredibly sick, and knew that he couldn't do anything about it. He clenched his fists as the man proceeded to unbutton his coat, every button making Furihata want to scream. However, the knife at his neck prevented him from doing so.

"Don't worry." Minoru said. "It'll feel good, I promise. They're always screaming for more."

Furihata felt numbness spread inside of him. They're always screaming for more. They're, meaning more than one. Minoru had done this to other people. He wasn't the first one. The instinct to escape was stronger than it ever was since he found himself in this situation. So he paused, gathering all of his courage for that one opportunity that could either save his life or destroy.

He waited until the brown-haired man lowered the knife a bit further away from his neck to start unbuttoning his jeans. Furihata pushed him with everything he had and bolted for the mouth of the alleyway. Just as he was less than ten feet away from his escape, a pair of arms wrapped around his chest and dragged him back inside.

The hope in him withered away and died, replaced with a crushing sense of fear traveling through his veins like a fast acting poison. Before he could gather all of his wits, a fist connect to his face and he fell to the ground on his rear with a cry, his hands immediately flying to cup his cheek.

Minoru stood over him with a murderous expression. "I told you not to run." He growled, the knife seeming even more evil in his grasp as it glinted in the dying light. "I told you not to, but you did. Do you know what that means?" He smiled sweetly, but he knew it was faked. "I'm not going to be gentle with you."

The man's leg lashed out and caught Furihata in the stomach. The force had him flat on his back with his hands now gripping his stomach. Minoru didn't stop there either. He continued to kick at him with a sadistic smile gracing his features. "Don't. You. Dare. Make. A. Sound." He hissed, punctuating every word with a hard kick.

Furihata felt warm tears gush down his cheeks as the pain flared up from everywhere. At some point, Minor's actions stopped and he distantly wondered if the man was done with him. But that wasn't the case when the green-eyed male only pulled him further into the passageway. He watched the street get farther away until he knew it was impossible for someone out there to spot them without carefully observing the area.

Minoru forced him to his feet with the knife now positioned closer to his throat than it had been before. "Let's try this again." He said. "Make another move, and I really will kill you."

This time, Furihata only nodded, praying to every deity he had ever heard of to save him. He was scared. He was more terrified than he had been in his whole life. He didn't want to die. Not here in a dirty alleyway shrouded in darkness. He didn't want a psycho to murder him just for a thrill.

Cold hands pulled his coat off.

He wanted to see his parents again.

Fingers pulled his shirt off, leaving goose bumps on his skin where they touched.

He wanted to see his sister and apologize.

They caressed his skin in mock love.

He wanted to play basketball with his friends.

Lips melded on to his and clumsily started unbuttoning his pants.

He wanted to live.

"What's going on here?"

In that instant, Furihata never felt more relieved to hear another voice in his life. But he couldn't help but feel like he's heard that voice before. It was when his tearful eyes met his savior's that he realized exactly why it was familiar. And he wasn't sure whether he should feel the beautiful relief coursing through him, or the ugly fear slithering down his back.

Akashi Seijurou was standing several feet away from them.

* * *

**Hi! I'm Muse, and this is my first ever KnB story! *cue claps* Anyways, I finished writing this chapter last night, and since today is Friday, I decided to just upload it for kicks. I recently got into AkaFuri, and I also follow the anime instead of the manga, so please don't kill me if I ever get any information wrong. Any information I use past the anime's current timeline was found by research on the internet. **

**Please review if you liked my story, or wish to see more of it. It means a lot to me, and will definitely contribute to my drive to write more for you lovely folks out there. Love you all~ :)**

**P.S: I am extremely sorry if you guys find mistakes in grammar in spelling. I try to edit, but I always miss things...Please forgive me? *uses Kise approved puppy eyes***


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basket, but I did ask Santa for it. He told me I couldn't have it, and then booked it on his sleigh. Better luck next year?**

* * *

Furihata learned a long time ago that wishing never did anyone any good. He wished for a lot of things. He wished for courage. He wished for love. He wished for acceptance. He wished for friendship. He wished for everything, and was met with a bitter reality. Wishing wasn't going to get him anywhere, and if he desperately needed something, he'd have to do it himself. But sometimes, he couldn't help himself. The urge to will his problems away was strong, a nearly impossible temptation to resist.

He was completely useless, and there was a possibility that his savior wouldn't save him, so no one could really blame him for wishing right now.

Akashi Seijurou was a name that many basketball players knew, whether they liked it or not. Because honestly, how could anyone forget the boy who crushed their dreams of playing the sport they loved to dust? However, it was the Akashi name that gave the Rakuzan captain the most recognition. The Akashi Corporation had heavy influence in both politics and business. They ran their company with an iron fist, and had zero tolerance for any nonsense or disloyalty. That was probably where the heterochromatic-eyed teen developed his personality; cold, calculating, uninterested, and obsessed with obedience and control.

"None of your business." Minoru spat out, the hand clutching the knife inching away from his neck, "Now get lost, you stupid brat."

Furihata froze as Akashi's eyes narrowed dangerously. Minrou, on the other hand, simply returned to touching his skin with icy hands. The green-eyed male was completely unaware that he had dug his own grave with just ten words, and promised himself a painful ending to his story. When the sound of retreating footsteps didn't reach his ears, the rapist turned his head. "Hey! I said to get lost, little boy."

And then Minoru's lips twisted into a knowing dark smile. "Unless, you want to take a turn after this one." He finished his sentence with a fist to Furihata's side. The wind was promptly knocked out of him, and he struggled to regain his breath while enduring the new aching sensation spreading through him. "I wouldn't mind taking a crack at you. You're pretty, of course, but not as pretty as little Furihata over here. But beggars can't be choosers, right?"

He was a dead man. There was no denying the malicious gleam in Akashi's eyes, and Furihata shuddered at the look that washed over the other teen's face. "Don't," He choked out, ignoring his fear of the knife, "say anymore. You've already made him mad."

While Minoru was an awful excuse for a human being, Furihata wasn't going to just stand there and let the man get maimed by the redhead. No one deserved to be torn to shreds in the most sadistic and cruelest way possibly, even criminals. Jail was a much better alternative than insulting a member of the Akashi family. Anyone who sullied any Akashi, regardless if the words were true or not, was rarely left unscathed.

Unfortunately, that threw him back into the man's focus. "I told you not to say a word!" He hissed. "And if you think about saying anything else one more time, I'll cut you into ribbons!"

"I'm giving you ten seconds to surrender, Minoru Souta. If you do not comply, prepare to face utter obliteration."

"Ten seconds?" Minoru repeated in confusion, and Furihata doubted that it was because Akashi somehow knew his name.

"I'm feeling rather gracious today." Came the bland reply. "Don't mistake it for lenience. I am not forgiving."

Furihata watched the scene unfold with a horrified interest. It was freezing outside, the alleyway was nearly devoid of light with the sun nearly gone past the horizon, and he was still pressed against the rough bricks. He was trapped between two evils, one just seemingly less evil than the other at the moment. He'd take dealing with Akashi any day over Minoru.

"Kid, I'm the one with the knife. You should be the one begging for mercy. You know, I might be open to some persuasion if you get down on your knees and-"

"Times up." Akashi interrupted. "Minoru Souta, you will never see the light of day again."

"Won't I?" The scarred man sneered. "No one will find out if they don't find the bodies."

"Please." The basketball player scoffed. "You're of mediocre intelligence, Souta. You were going to get caught. There's enough evidence to put you behind bars for the rest of your miserable, insignificant life. That's why your wife left you, didn't she? You were so unimportant that she left, and you crave touch. That's why you've been raping and murdering innocents, right? And you still need it, the love she once gave you. You can't function without it."

"Shut up!" Minoru roared. "You don't know anything!"

"Do I?" Akashi said with a smirk. "I know everything, Souta. I always win, and therefore, I am always right. You're done."

Furihata knew that Minoru was a living bomb, and Akashi's final sentence had set him off. The green-eyed man rushed forwards, the knife clenched in his hands with the intent to kill Akashi violently. He watched in horror as the man went straight for a stab to the redhead's chest. He wanted to help, but just couldn't move. His legs weren't working. They were numb and quaking, barely supporting his weight. He balled his hands into fists. He needed to move!

Akashi only looked smug as he dodged at the last second, swiftly turning to strike at the man from behind. Minoru went down hard, and smashed face first into the ground with a loud thud. The heterochromatic-eyed teen only looked down at him in disgust. "You're worthless." He said plainly as Minoru didn't move from the ground.

The redhead's eyes trailed to his, and Furihata felt himself flush in embarrassment as those judgmental eyes scanned his figure. He yanked his shirt off the ground and scrambled to put it on. Just as he was buttoning up his coat and Akashi was making his way over to him, he noticed Minoru getting up steadily.

Blood trickled from a wound on his face, and Furihata felt dread coil in his stomach as Minoru's trembling fingers wrapped around the hilt of the knife. "Akashi!" He shouted, fear pumping through his veins. "Behind you!"

Minoru was already up and hurtling towards Akashi with pure anger painted on his features. "I'll make you pay!" The man screamed lividly, his face turning a bright shade of red. "I'll kill you!"

Heterochromatic eyes regarded him coolly, and in a heartbeat, Minoru was sprawled out on the ground with a pair of ruby red scissors embedded in the flesh of his leg. The knife was thrown off to the side somewhere when the sleek metal had pierced the green-eyed male's skin. He clutched his left leg in pain and howled in agony. "My leg!"

Akashi's eyes betrayed not a single sign of sympathy, or any other emotion but satisfaction. "The authorities will be arriving soon." As if on cue, sirens blared, and were increasing in loudness, as if they were coming closer to their location. "Minoru Souta, I won."

A stream of colorful curses left the green-eyed man's mouth and flooded the air, but Furihata knew that the Rakuzan captain could care less. He was forced to silence as the other teen approached him with long meaningful strides. It felt like time had slowed down as the redhead stood before him with an intimidating gaze.

"Furihata Kouki." He said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." He managed to say without freezing up. "Um… Thank you for saving me." He winced at the crack in his voice. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't interfered."

But he did know. He knew that Minoru would have touched him, and no matter how much he tried to fight back, how much he cried, how much he said no, Minoru wouldn't have stopped. He would've laughed gleefully as he continued to violate Furihata in the cover of night and in the presence of stars. He would've been thrown to the ground, used and broken, like a discarded old toy. Then his blood would've painted the alley a bright shade of red until time had dulled it to a rusty smear. And then, he would have become nothing more than a missing person case or another body in a string of murders and rapes. He would've been another person lost to the insanity of a killer, and that would be that. End of story.

Furihata's lungs seized, and his heart stuttered a beat. The suffocating weight on his chest was back, and heavier than it had ever been before. It pushed him to his knees, and he clutched his arms uselessly as his collapsed before Akashi. It was hopeless though; his hands were a quivering mess as the gnarled claws of anxiety grasped him once more, reluctant to let him go again.

In, out. In, out. In, out. He reminded himself. That was how to breathe. In, out. In, out. But for some reason, he couldn't do it. He couldn't breathe in or out, and his vision was beginning to blur as the tears building up in the corner of his eyes finally spilled. He was losing it, and he wasn't sure if he could get his control back. It had run away from him, and he was miles upon miles behind.

"Kouki?"

The redhead's voice broke through his hazy mind, and he slowly raised his eyes to meet those oddly colored orbs. They really were weird. One was red and the other was yellow. There was no way that was natural. He wasn't entirely sure, but he remembered the basketball player had both of his eyes red in middle school, not heterochromatic. Something must have happened then, for Akashi to have his Emperor Eye.

Furihata wasn't sure when it happened, but he suddenly realized the crushing sensation disappeared, and he was breathing normally. His head was still feeling light and his fingers still felt tingly, but the worse of his panic attack was gone. Vanished. As if it had never happened in the first place. He looked back down at his hands thoughtfully. What had stopped it? He had been thrown off into the deep end, and nothing short of being forced into unconsciousness should've stopped him. What had thwarted his anxiety after it had gone past the point of being fixed?

"Ahem."

He jerked his head up and wanted to smack himself. How could he forget that Akashi Seijurou was still standing over him while he wasted time doing absolutely nothing? He stood up hastily and accidentally knocked heads with the other boy in his hurry. He reeled back against the wall and rubbed his forehead. "Ah! I'm sorry, Akashi! I didn't mean to hit you!"

He watched in fear as the heterochromatic-eyed teen only touched his forehead gingerly. "It's fine, Kouki." He said smoothly. "I didn't feel a thing."

"Are you sure?" The words escaped his mouth effortlessly. "It looks like it really hurt."

The edge of Akashi's lips quirked upwards into something that wasn't exactly a smile, but more than an expressionless line. "Are you saying that I'm wrong in my assessment of myself, Kouki?"

"No!" He shouted. Embarrassment flooded his cheeks in the form of a red hue. "I mean, of course not. I wouldn't know if it hurt. I'm not you. I'm me, which means I am definitely not you. Ah…"

Akashi was going to kill him, and it was going to be his entire fault. If only he hadn't been so eager to answer his question, he wouldn't be stuck in this precarious situation of impending doom. Why did he have to go stick his foot in his mouth?

The heterochromatic-eyed teen whirled around on his heel. "Come Kouki, we need to leave before the police arrive."

"What?"

"Don't make me repeat myself." Akashi warned before strolling towards the exit of the passageway. As he reached Minoru's body, he bent down to wrench the scissors out of Minoru, who grunted in pain. "Hurry up, Kouki. I don't want to dawdle here any longer."

Furihata scurried to the teen's side, and glanced back at Minoru's fallen form. "What about him? What if he leaves before the police arrive?"

Akashi snorted. "He won't be going anywhere, Kouki. He's injured in a part of his leg that would make it nearly impossible to stand up, much less move, without further injuring himself and causing a great deal of pain."

"Oh." He said dumbly.

They left the shadows of the narrow passageway, and Furihata inhaled the fresh air greedily. The streets were almost abandoned, with a few cars zooming past and sparsely spread people walking around. A thought struck him. If Minoru did go through with his actions, there was a slim chance of anyone saving him. Even Akashi saving him had been lucky enough. His face fell further. Did Akashi even intend to save him? Maybe the redhead had intervened out of want to crush Minoru rather than assist him?

"Stop frowning." Akashi's voice shattered his somber thoughts. "It looks rather unattractive."

"And you expect me to be smiling?" Furihata snapped before registering what he said. Worry swept over him like a crashing wave in the ocean. "I'm sorry Akashi! I didn't mean any disrespect. It was just…I…."

Akashi shot him a bored look. "I understand, Kouki. You were nearly assaulted in an alley by an unfamiliar man. I would be more surprised if you had been less emotional about the situation. However, I will not tolerate any more impertinence to me. Others are fine to a degree, but you will not show a lack of respect to me again. Understood?"

"Yes, Akashi." He answered back stiffly.

They were walking down the sidewalk as a police car screeched to a halt outside the alley they had just left. The redhead threw a smirk over his shoulder at one of the officers who had exited the car. The officer nodded at the teen before speaking to her partner.

"Do you know them?" Furihata asked curiously.

"No, but my family does."

He made a soft sound of acknowledgement and continued to walk by the heterochromatic-eyed boy's side. He observed their surroundings warily, but found nothing to be overly cautious about. There weren't many shady people about. His stomach churned. But Minoru hadn't looked shady, had he?

He pushed those thoughts to the side. Thinking about what could have happened wouldn't do him any good at all. If anything, it would make him feel worse. A pale hand stopped him by griping his arm, and he followed the arm back to its owner.

"We're here." Akashi said, releasing his arm to gesture to a teahouse in front of them.

Furihata looked at it in wonder. The building was huge and very beautifully designed. The doors, as unimportant as they were, were magnificent and fancy. Overall, the teahouse looked like the kind of place he would never be able to buy in, and that was just from how the exterior looked. This knowledge had him staring at the redhead with wide eyes. "Are you sure? I don't want to bother you. I can just go home." He rubbed his neck. "I should go home, actually. My sister is probably worried sick about me and-"

"Stop ranting, Kouki." Akashi ordered sternly, and he immediately shut his mouth. "I want you to accompany me, and you will."

Furihata nodded weakly. He wasn't oblivious to the tone the redhead had used. He heard the way Akashi had said he would accompany him, like he had no other choice but to agree. He was right too. There was no way he would ever say no to the other first year. He would rather jump off a cliff than refuse an order from Akashi and have to deal with his violent response.

He chose to remain mute as the redhead motioned for him to enter the teahouse before following the other in. The inside of the building was as marvelous as the outside of it had promised. The smell of exotic teas wafted around his nose, and he inhaled the relaxing smell slowly. It truly smelled wonderful inside, and it eased his nerves and loosened his muscles.

A server wearing an expensive looking tuxedo and sporting finely styled hair ushered them to a private room in the back of the teahouse with just one alarmed look at Akashi. The heterochromatic-eyed boy looked rather unaffected by the man's behavior. And if Furihata had to guess why, it was most likely because the other teenager was used to such actions around him. Akashi was used to people obeying him, and for some reason, he felt sorry for the redhead. No one should have to deal with people tiptoeing around him or her in fear, and Akashi was no exception.

Furihata took a seat at the clothed table stationed in the middle of the room, and Akashi sat across from him with an air of importance radiating off of him. He took a moment to observe the room. There was a window off to the right, and a couch positioned in the shadows on the opposite side facing the windows. Vases filled with colorful flowers were decorating the room, giving the area a light appearance and soft fragrance.

"What would you like, sirs?"

Without batting an eyelash, Akashi responded to the waiter. "Valerian Root Tea, prepared as usual. Kouki?" He turned his gaze to him.

Furihata blanched at the weight of the other's eyes. "Um..." He tried not to look frantic as he snatched the menu from the table. Scanning the selection of teas, he nearly felt sick to his stomach. The prices were absolutely crazy! He wouldn't be able to afford anything here, not even the smallest sized cup of the cheapest tea.

"I'm sorry," he said nervously as Akashi's scrutiny didn't waver, "but I can't buy anything here. It's too expensive."

"I'll pay for you." Akashi said expressionlessly.

"No, I can't accept!" He exclaimed. "You don't need to pay for me. It's fine. I ate earlier and-"

"Don't be ridiculous." The redhead looked vaguely annoyed. "I will pay for you, Kouki. And in return, you will entertain me."

He stared at the heterochromatic-eyed boy in shock before quickly studying the menu once more. "I'll be having a cup of your Lavender Tea, please."

The waiter regarded him in disdain before nodding. "Of course, sirs." He sounded a little mocking towards the end of his sentence as he looked down at Furihata as if he were nothing more than a bug beneath his shoes.

He shrunk into his chair weakly and sighed in relief when the man had left. He straightened up and met Akashi's eyes. "Lavender Tea?" The other questioned.

"Yeah." Furihata said quietly. "It helps me calm down."

"Ah." Akashi hummed. "I hear it does well with nerves. I personally enjoy Valerian Root Tea for its stress relieving properties and assistance in dispelling insomnia."

"That's interesting." Furihata said honestly. Tea was something of a little personal thing for him. With his constant anxiety issues, he turned to drinking tea frequently for relief. He had never really thought to research other teas and their uses with his sister recommending him different types and his grandfather's input before he had passed away.

They fell into an awkward quiet, and Furihata wiggled in his seat uncomfortably. "So, how was your day?" He asked lamely in a poor attempt to start some sort of conversation with the other first year.

"Fine." Akashi said. "I dealt with family matters as usual."

Furihata latched onto that small shred of information. "Family matters?" He echoed in a way that indicated he wanted elaboration on the topic.

Akashi raised an eyebrow at him, but opened his mouth to speak. "I am the heir to The Akashi Corporation, and due to that responsibility, I must tend to problems in order to prove my ability to be the boss of a successful company like my family's."

"Sounds like hard work." He admitted. "I wouldn't be able to do that."

"What makes you say that?" Akashi queried, leaning forwards with his cheek resting on the fist of his right hand.

He gulped at the intensity of the other's heterochromatic eyes before blushing. "Well, I'm not exactly a people person, and having to interact with people, strangers, would be too much for me to handle. Not to mention the pressure from competitors and the stress of making decisions. I wouldn't last a day."

The redhead looked interested in what he was saying, so he decided to continue. "How exactly do you handle everything so calmly? You're sixteen and already able to run a company without any problems…"

Before Akashi could respond, the server from before reappeared at their table with a tray balanced on one hand. He carefully placed a porcelain cup in front of Furihata filled with lightly steaming tea. He looked back at the redhead who had picked up his cup of Valerian Root Tea and was sipping it contemplatively. He cautiously brought his cup to his lips and drank a little of the dark liquid.

It was fantastic, much better than the measly cheap bags that he and his sister managed to procure from a grocery store. It had the same flavor, but where the one he had at home was faint, this one had a rich taste that was impossible to ignore. It was good quality, and there was no way he could not enjoy it.

He gently returned his teacup back to its rightful place on the small plate in front of him. "It's great." He mumbled in wonder.

Akashi smirked. "I wouldn't expect any less. The Jasmine Dragon has very high expectations for tea, and they don't accept anything less than the best. But to answer your question," he glared at the waiter, forcing him to leave hastily, "I am only able to deal with the responsibility through obligation."

Furihata blinked. He hadn't been expecting that answer. "Obligation?"

Akashi nodded seriously. "In my family, we have a reputation to uphold. We have to be the best in what we do, and if we aren't the best, then we are nothing. Being a member of the Akashi family is a blessing and a curse. However, unlike most of my family members, I intend to fully use this to my advantage."

He couldn't help but wonder why the other teen was telling him all of this. They just met in the street, right? How in the world did the Rakuzan captain get the idea that it was okay to share his thoughts with him? He didn't believe it. "If you don't mind me asking," Furihata started hesitantly, "why are you telling me this? You don't know me."

The redhead shrugged. "You're right. I don't know you. But I do know you won't tell anyone, you wouldn't want to face the consequences of doing so."

Furihata felt his anxiety start back up at the dark look on Akashi's face. He quickly sipped his tea and relished the lovely taste. "I would never tell anyone." He said as he put the cup down. "But still, couldn't you have just talked to Kuroko or someone else?"

Akashi drank his tea languidly. "If a leader shows weakness in front of his followers, what would the followers think of the leader then?"

He swallowed. "They wouldn't respect the leader as much as they used to?"

"Correct. And as neutral as Kuroko is, I will not expose any personal thoughts of mine to my minions."

"But-"

"I chose you out of convenience, Kouki; nothing more, nothing less. I had been taking a walk and noticed a man a few relatives of mine had been wanting to arrest. You just happened to be his victim today."

Furihata winced at the brutal honesty in the other teen's words. An ache in his chest throbbed, but he couldn't figure out why. Had Akashi's words hurt him? He frowned to himself. Why did he care what the redhead said? He wanted to know the truth, and he got it.

But he supposed that it was his fault. Deep down inside him, there was a small part of him that had been hoping that Akashi had saved him for a reason, that he had wanted to talk to him for a reason. But as it was, he was nothing more than a convenient confidant for the other boy.

"Oh." He said simply.

Akashi said nothing, and Furihata was relieved that the other didn't talk. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and when he reached down for it, it vibrated again. Taking it out and flipping it open, his eyes widened at the amount of messages in his inbox. Six messages from Chou greeted him, and he felt guilt seep into him. Paying no mind to the heterochromatic-eyed teen across from him, he starting to read the messages.

One.

_I'm still at Mizuki's house. :)_

Two.

_Hey, do you want me to order some pizza from that American place down the street for dinner?_

Three.

_Are you ignoring me, Kouki? I'm really sorry._

Four.

_Kouki? Please text me back! You're starting to worry me…_

Five.

_Your friends told me they don't know where you went. Are you okay? Kouki, text me back!_

He skipped to the latest text and nearly choked at what it said. Oh no.

_Kouki, if you don't text me back within the next two minutes, I'm going to call the police._

Furihata stared at his phone in disbelief before typing out a reply. Chou was not someone to mess with when she was worried, and his sister was also a woman of her word. If she threatened to call the police, she would. No questions asked. That was why it was incredibly important that she received and read his text before the brown haired girl could do anything about it.

His phone vibrated and he scanned the response.

_Kouki, you jerk! You nearly scared me to death! Wherever you are, you better come home now! Or else I'll throw all your basketballs out the window into Mrs. Takahashi's yard! And I know you're terrified of her dogs._

Furihata shoved his phone back into the pocket of his coat and downed the rest of his tea. He looked apologetically at Akashi, and twiddled his fingers. "I'm really sorry about this Akashi, but I need to get home. It's an emergency, and my sister…."

He trailed off when a realization sunk in. "I left the strawberry cake in the alley!"

Akashi looked startled by his sudden shout, but recovered just as fast as it occurred. "What?"

He mournfully thought about the little styrofoam box laying around in the dark passageway. "I got a cake for my sister as an apology, but I dropped it when Minoru grabbed me." He sighed and looked at his empty teacup. "And strawberry is her favorite flavor too…."

"I'll buy you one." Akashi said, and Furihata whipped his head up to face the other boy.

"Really? But…I don't want you to pay for me! You already bought me tea, I might as well pay for this myself or something." Furihata blurted out, trying to dissuade the teen from doing anything he didn't need to.

"I'm ordering you to let me buy one for you." Akashi commanded, his eyes narrowed as he watched him for any signs of disobedience.

Furihata searched for a solution and found one, as stupid and insane as it was. He jumped out of his chair and bolted for the door. "Thanks Akashi, but I can't let you do that!"

He made it past with no difficulty, and didn't dare look back in case he would meet the redhead's critical eyes. He ignored the whispers of the patrons in The Jasmine Dragon and left the building without so much as a backwards glance. He stopped when he was safely three blocks away from the Rakuzan student and the teahouse.

He looked at his phone and cursed mentally. It was 7:30 p.m. and he knew that Chou was probably worried sick, and definitely craving his head on a platter too. He shivered at he mental image of his younger sister standing menacingly over him with a broom while he tried to convince her that he was sorry. Maybe he didn't quite want to go home yet….

His mind flashed to his interaction with Akashi. It was weird. Not unpleasant, but not comfortable. If anything, he was intrigued by the other teenager. Ever since he started playing basketball and heard tales of the Generation of Miracles, he never once considered that Akashi could be as normal as him or any other person in the world. All he knew about the heterochromatic-eyed boy was that he was psychotic, cruel, and completely obsessed with winning.

And if he was being honest with himself, he was scared of the redhead. Scared of him to the core of his very being, but for some reason, it didn't show when he spoke to him, either because the other had just saved him, or because he must have found something human within the other basketball player. Was Akashi as scary as he always assumed he was, or was he simply the imaginary monster that others made him out to be?

The sound of a car screeching to a stop next to him made him jump. He turned to look at the driver when a professional looking woman in a black business suit stepped out of the passenger seat. "Furihata Kouki?" She said in a clipped tone.

"Yes?" He replied, trying to tremble as the woman walked towards him. She held something small in her hands, but he couldn't get a good look at it due to his fear of her serious expression and hard eyes.

"This is for you."

She handed him a white box and he looked down at it curiously. "Excuse me, ma'am, but what is this?"

She didn't acknowledge him at all. Instead, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. Pressing the phone to her ear, she began to talk. "Sir? I delivered the package as you requested."

Furihata watched as she tapped her heeled shoe on the concrete sidewalk. "Yes sir. He's still here. You really want me to tell him that? No, I wasn't...Yes..." She sounded unhappy at the response she got from the person on the other end. "I will. Goodbye, sir."

She turned her attention back to him and looked down at him frighteningly. He noticed that she towered over him in her heels, and judging by the look on her face, she enjoyed having that advantage over him.

"Furihata Kouki, this package is for you, courtesy of my boss."

He glanced down at the box again, his curiosity piqued. What was in there? And more importantly, who was her boss? He steeled his nerves and decided it would be best to ask her. "Who's your boss?"

The woman chuckled at him. "Akashi Seijurou." She started walking back to the side of the car she sat in. When she pulled open the door, she grinned at him predatorily. "He also says not to disobey his order again. Otherwise…." She didn't finish her sentence, but the rest of it was clearly implied. _Otherwise you'll face the consequences._

He squeaked fearfully as she entered the car and sped off into the night. He was left standing alone. Not daring to open the box, he ran away with the single thought of finding safety and comfort in the only place he could be fearless. His house.

When he reached his home, he burst through the doors, alerting his sister to his return. She rushed at him from the kitchen with concerned eyes. "Kouki? Are you all right? You were gone, and I was so scared that-"

"I'm sorry Chou, but I can't talk now." He told her, shoving the box into her hands.

Furihata sprinted to his room and shut the door with a resounding slam. He pulled off his coat once the heat of the house settled in, and then threw himself onto his bed unceremoniously. He buried his face into his pillow, and desperately tried to force himself to sleep. He couldn't digest everything that happened that day. It felt impossible to try to process everything with a clear mind.

He went to a café, nearly got raped and murdered by Minoru, was saved by the least likeliest person to come to his aid, went to a teahouse with said person, realized that said person wasn't as cruel and monstrous as he had thought, and then went home only to be given a package by a woman who worked for said person he misunderstood.

What exactly was going on?

Furihata exhaled slowly in an attempt to still his racing heart. In the end, he drifted to sleep by thinking about the last time that his family actually felt like family instead of a group of people living together with the same flesh and blood. But before he faded into the peaceful and alluring darkness, his sister's voice cut through the fogginess dominating his mind.

"Kouki, did you buy me this strawberry cake?"

Furihata was already gone though, drifting off into dreams of ruby red hair, self-assured smirks, intelligent heterochromatic eyes, soothing words, and warmth that heated his chilled soul. But along with those sweet dreams came bloodcurdling nightmares, cold unwanted hands running across his skin, his throat raw from screaming and an overwhelmingly agonizing pain that ravaged his body mercilessly.

He didn't sleep well that night.

* * *

**Hello everybody! Thank you all so much for reviewing! I think Furihata's character is okay, but I'm worried about Akashi. I don't think he's 'Akashi' (for lack of better word) enough. I dunno. What do you guys think? I also have no idea where I'm going with this story. I have a small idea to use for a few chapters or so, but it could backfire horrendously on me too. :P. Please review if you liked it, and I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Expect an update next Friday (or sooner)! Until next time, my readers. :)**

**Please excuse any mistakes in spelling or grammar. I'm as blind as a bat whenever editing stories. *laughs awkwardly* ...Please forgive me! *flails***

**P.S: We already established that one of Furihata's problems was his anxiety/fears, but what else does he have? Hmm...It's something that both he and Akashi share. ;).**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer: I love Kuroko no Basuke very much, but I will never ever own it. Not even in my dreams. *sits in a dark corner growing mushrooms sadly* (I also don't own Tamaki's little Corner of Woe either)**

* * *

The door slammed behind him as soon as he walked in, Furihata felt the tension. It was thick and suffocating, like smoke from a fire invading your lungs and poisoning you from the inside out. His shoulders stiffened as three pairs of eyes latched on his form. It was too late to back away now. Not when he had all of their attention focused on him.

"Kouki!" His mother exclaimed, surprise clear in her dark eyes. The laptop's screen blurred a bit before refocusing. "I didn't know you were awake yet! Don't you have baseball practice in the morning?"

Disappointment washed over him, but it was a familiar feeling. His mother always coddled him, compulsively almost, but was never really able to remember much about what he liked or did. "I play basketball, mom. And I woke up early today, practice doesn't start for a while."

His father was silent beside her on the bright red couch of the hotel they were staying in, but he watched him with cold dark eyes. His lips were still set in a thin line that expressed his unhappiness. Despite being absent physically, interacting with his father still had his muscles tensed and his stance stiff. "Wasting your time like always, Kouki." His father sighed. "You never do anything worthwhile, like focus on your studies. You aren't going to get anywhere in life without good grades."

"Kenji!" His mother scolded. "Don't talk like that! Kouki tries his hardest in school, right honey?"

Furihata nodded mutely, preferring not to answer her verbally. His father only looked at him in disapproval. Obviously, the man didn't appreciate his silence and took it for weakness. _'Too weak to defend yourself.'_ His father's voice sneered at him from inside his head. _'You're a disappointment, Kouki.'_

"He's participating in school." Chou said, forcing herself into the conversation. She looked at him apologetically, as if she was apologizing to him for finding her video calling their parents. "The basketball team really helped out with his," she paused, trying to grasp what word to say next, "shyness. He's gotten better."

His father snorted and ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "Not enough."

They were consumed by thick cloud of tension again, and Furihata shifted awkwardly. He moved his gaze to the door and stared at it longingly. For once, he actually woke up early enough to have time to kill before school and practice started. He planned to stay in bed and relax before having to get up, but he was itching to move around. Before he knew it, he was moving to the kitchen where his family was having a heated discussion. He knew he shouldn't have gone in, but he did anyways. And now, he was stuck in a place where his presence wasn't welcomed.

"Kouki, isn't it already time for you to start walking to school? My, you should get going!" His mother chirped cheerfully before she took a sip from her coffee mug, but it was easy to tell that she had wanted him to leave the room.

Taking the chance she had given him, he nodded and quickly fled from the kitchen. The door swung shut behind him and he froze as their quiet voices reached his ears. He was torn between eavesdropping and leaving the house. But a curious part of him urged him to stay, and he pressed his ear to the door and focused on the words being exchanged inside.

"Really! Things are getting better!" Chou said loudly.

"Are they? Because it doesn't look like it." His father scoffed.

"Give him a chance, Kenji," his mother said softly, "I've seen some improvements with his behavior. And we don't need to involve anyone else in this either."

"But mom-" Chou protested.

"No buts, Chou. Right now, Kouki is doing fine. We don't need to hire any therapists." His mother's tone was icy and heavy with finality.

"Therapists? There's nothing wrong with Kouki. He's just being dramatic." His father spat. "He'll get over it once he realizes no one cares."

He backed away from the door and shouldered his bag. He didn't want to hear anymore. He walked to the door quickly and closed it gently behind him. The bright blue sky greeted him, and he took a minute to bask in colorful hues of the rising sun. He took off down the sidewalk in a brisk walk, drinking in the sights around him. After a little while, his thoughts wandered to a dark place he didn't want to enter.

It had been three days since he last made contact with one Akashi Seijurou. And the feeling of apprehension dominated his thoughts, as if his subconscious was reluctant to let go of what had happened in the alleyway that night. In fact, he could hardly go about his usual daily life without somehow connecting something he did or thought with the redhead, and that was definitely not normal.

And along with thoughts of Akashi, came thoughts of Minoru.

For once, he wasn't sure what to think. He wasn't happy about what happened, nor did he enjoy it in any way, but he couldn't drive away his memories of their encounter. He couldn't wash away the feelings of his cold fingers tracing his skin no matter how much he scrubbed himself in the shower. He couldn't forget the darkness in those green orbs, and woke up in cold sweat from the sheer terror of his dreams. He couldn't stop the what ifs from invading his mind, slowly turning what should have been relief at his safety into a long list of never-ending scenarios of what could have happened.

Obviously, this wasn't good for his mental health, but shoving all of his memories about the incident into the shadows of his mind seemed like the best idea he had. What else was he supposed to do? There was no way he could tell Chou, because she would tell their parents. And if she told their parents, his mother would have another reason to hold him close and shelter him for the world and his father would have another reason to despise him for being weak. There was really only one person he could talk to, someone who was there, but just imagining how asking a certain Rakuzan student to listen to him babble about his feelings was enough to nip that idea right in the bud.

Furihata sighed and looked up at a black bird soaring above him. "Lucky you," he muttered enviously, "you get to fly around without a care in the world. I wish I could do that too…."

He turned his gaze back to the street and continued to Seirin High. He checked the time on his phone after crossing an intersection. He still had a good hour before practice started, and he would definitely make it to school grounds within fifteen minutes, giving him another forty-five to do absolutely nothing. He weighed his options. He could go on to school early like he probably would, or he could go off and wander around aimlessly to kill time.

The second option sounded better than the first, and he found himself veering off course as he walked past the gates of his beloved high school. He'd come back in a bit. A few of Seirin's students were milling about the entrance, a decent sized crowd of navy blue and black wearing teens as they chattered mindlessly about one thing or another. It wasn't until he bumped into someone roughly that he startled out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry!" He gushed out, mortified at his carelessness. This was exactly the type of situations he tried to avoid.

"It's okay, Furihata." A monotonous voice replied.

He flushed in embarrassment as expressionless blue eyes bore into his. "Still," he said weakly, "I should have watched where I was going."

"I don't think it would have made much of a difference." Kuroko said.

Furihata didn't have anything to say to that, because it was true. Even if he had been careful, he still would've chanced bumping into the quiet teenager. It wasn't that Kuroko looked plain or average enough to fade into the background. Heck, the other had blue hair. It was impossible to miss such an odd hair color in a sea of blacks and browns. If anything, the only reason Kuroko was so unnoticeable was because of his lack of presence. He was like some sort of silent protector, always there and always guarding his charge, but invisible to everyone.

Honestly, he had no idea how the other managed to deal with being easily forgotten. He would have gone insane if no one acknowledged him at all. It only proved to show that the pale basketball player was either used to it after so many years of having to live with it or simply possessed the patience of a saint.

"Right." He mumbled.

They stood together in an uncomfortable silent until the shorter boy broke the silence. "Would you like to come to Maji Burger with me?"

"Don't you usually go with Kagami?"

Kuroko's eyes seemed to gleam with a tint of annoyance when he mentioned the redhead, but the emotion was quickly wiped from his face just as he noticed it. "Yes, but he was intent on staying in bed." His lips curved upwards in slight amusement. "He said something about me being crazy for waking up so early."

"Oh." He said. "I don't mind going with you. Wait a minute, isn't it too early to eat something at Maji Burger?"

The phantom player looked at Furihata with something akin to disbelief and said quietly. "It's never too early for vanilla milkshakes."

He stared at the boy with wide eyes. The other hadn't said anything unusual or shocking, but the way he said those words so seriously, as if everything in the world revolved around vanilla milkshakes, was incredibly funny. He doubled over and didn't resist the onslaught of laughter bubbling from his chest and escaping through his vocal cords. It had been a while since he had laughed this hard. The weight of his memories put a thick damper on his humor, and it was great to let it go.

Kuroko waited patiently for his laughter to stop, and he immediately felt disappointed in himself for laughing at the blue-eyed teen. "Sorry about that," he apologized, "it's just…" he trailed.

"What?" Kuroko asked curiously.

"You looked really serious when you said it was never too early for vanilla milkshakes." He admitted after glancing into the concentrated gaze of the other basketball player.

The shorter boy didn't say anything, and began walking down the sidewalk leading to the fast food restaurant. Furihata hurried after him and matched the other's surprisingly quick pace. "Did you hear about the news we're getting during practice?" The blue haired passer asked.

"What news?"

"We're going to a training camp next week along with a few other schools. We weren't going to go originally, but the school board was very pleased with our progress so far for being a relatively new club."

"That's good." He replied thoughtfully until a thought slammed into him. "Oh no."

"What's wrong, Furihata?" The paler teen asked concern flashing in his eyes.

"My parents are out-of-town. How am I going to get the permission form signed?" He hunched over himself a little as they reached the doors of Maji Burger.

"You could get one of your parents to email Riko or Takeda with their consent." Kuroko suggested.

"That's true!" He cried. "Thanks, Kuroko. I wouldn't have thought of that."

They entered the fast food joint, and made their way to the counter at a leisurely pace. The cashier, some man with platinum blond dyed hair, greeted him, his eyes completely skipping over Kuroko, showing that he had no idea the other was there. And if he was being honest, Furihata probably would've forgotten too if he wasn't going to order the other his milkshake. "What can I get you?"

"I'll have a medium vanilla milkshake and a medium strawberry milkshake." He told the man without stammering. He was actually quite proud of himself. The blond wasn't in a good mood if he looked closely at the frown etched on the other's face. A dark vibe radiated from him, and he was determined not to bother the man.

He turned around and began working the milkshake dispenser without another word. As he was filling up the cups, a black-haired woman stuck her head out of the cooking area. "Hey, dipstick!"

"What do you want, Misaki?" The blond shouted back.

"You don't have to work night shift today!"

"Why not?" The grumpy blond asked loudly.

"Because I said so, dipstick!" The woman shot back.

"But I want to work later!"

"You need some sleep, idiot!" Misaki replied before quickly adding, "And stop shouting, Ryu! We have customers!"

She vanished back into the kitchen and Ryu rolled his eyes. "That woman, I swear. You're the only person in here." He shook his head in exasperation. He turned to him and placed the milkshakes on the counter. "That'll be 711.22 yen."

"Alright." He dug into his pocket and pulled out the money. "Here you go." He handed the money to Ryu, who then placed it inside the cash register with a small ding.

"Enjoy your day." The blond said with a thin smile on his face.

"That's the spirit, Ryu! Service with a smile!" Masaki called.

"Thanks." Furihata mumbled as he grabbed both cups and hurried out the establishment at the sound of more yelling. After exiting the restaurant, he handed Kuroko his vanilla milkshake and watched in amusement as his usually blank eyes brightened at the sight of the cold drink.

"I'll pay you back-"

"You don't have to." He said quickly, accidentally cutting off the blue haired teen. "I don't mind at all."

Kuroko stared at him impassively before nodding in acceptance. "Thank you, Furihata."

They drank their treats, and Furihata couldn't help the urge to check his phone for the time. They had spent about twenty-five minutes walking to Maji Burger and back, leaving them with twenty more to hang around and do nothing in front of the school before practice started. He sipped his strawberry milkshake and relished the taste of one of his favorite fruits.

"Furihata, if you don't mind me asking, how are you doing?"

He looked at the blue-eyed passer next to him. "What?"

"You've been quieter than usual, and you look distracted during practice." The phantom player said, looking at Furihata with his piercing eyes.

"I haven't been distracted." He denied, shaking his head at the other teen.

"When we were running laps outside, you nearly crashed into a pole." Kuroko deadpanned.

"That was just once." Furihata said, blushing in embarrassment as he remembered the incident that resulted in.

"You continued to run and then tripped on the sidewalk, taking Kawahara down with you."

He didn't reply to the other, and chose to stay silent. His fingers were getting numb from holding the cold cup of his milkshake, and he wondered why it hadn't melted yet with the sunlight. Maybe the air wasn't warm enough yet.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, Furihata." The basketball player said.

Something about the other made him want to spill out everything he was bottling up deep down inside of himself, but even with the words dangling on the edge of his lips, he still couldn't bring himself to utter what was bothering him. "No. It's not that I don't want to tell you anything," he felt frustrated, "it's just I…"

"Need to sort out your thoughts?" Kuroko offered.

"Yeah." He breathed. "I'll tell you sometime, but don't worry about it. Everything will be fine." He said with a reassuring smile.

Furihata felt guilty lying to the other first year, but there was no way he could tell the blue-eyed teen what was really running through his mind. It would be like opening a can of worms, and he was not ready for whatever would come after. He was doing fine right now, suppressing his thoughts and going about his normal daily life. And while that was the probably one of the worst ways he could have dealt with the issue, he knew it was better than agonizing over everything like he would've done had he dwelled on it. He was going to forget it and move on.

The only problem was that forgetting was hard to do when the fear was still fresh on the forefront of his mind.

"If you say so, Furihata." Kuroko said passively, his expression not betraying any emotions.

"You know, Kuroko," he started when a thought crossed his mind, "you'd be a good poker player."

"Kagami said the same thing."

Their conversation collapsed back into a comfortable quiet, and it wasn't long before they both finished their milkshakes and threw them into the trashcan conveniently placed nearby for student's to use. His phone vibrated in his pants, and he pulled it out and checked the message in one fluid movement. It was from Chou.

_Good morning, big bro! Have fun in school today, and don't get into any trouble. You have practice afterschool today, right?_

Furihata bit back a chuckle at his sister's question. No matter how many times he told her his practice schedule, she always forgot it. He wasn't sure if it was because she had too much on her mind or because it slipped her mind because it wasn't important enough to her. Either way, he didn't mind reminded her too much. He sent her a reply letting her that no, he didn't have practice afterschool, and that of course he wasn't going to get into any trouble.

_Whatever you say~_

She had replied before his phone trembled with another text.

_I'm sorry about mom and dad this morning, but mom did tell me to call her at some time everyday while they were off on their trip._

He assured her that it was okay, and that there wasn't anything to apologize for. But he still felt a pang in his heart; his younger sister still had trouble with his anxiety, even if she pretended not to. At least she was making an effort to help him fix it. And while Chou's insistence on therapy was extreme, his father's method of cold indifference and his mother's methods of care and smothering weren't effective in helping him either.

He looked at the time. He had seven minutes before practice started, and no doubt members were already appearing in the gym. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Kuroko fidgeting with his phone. "What's wrong?"

The phantom player's lips thinned into a straight line. "Kagami hasn't woken up yet, and practice starts soon. He'll be late if he doesn't hurry, and Riko will make him run laps."

Furihata winced at the thought of an angry Riko. "Poor Kagami." He muttered under his breath.

"We should start heading over to the gym." Kuroko said bluntly.

"Yeah." He nodded in agreement. He texted Chou a quick goodbye and good luck on her exam and began walking to their destination with the basketball player. "Hey, Kuroko, I want to ask you something."

The shorter teenager looked at him curiously. "What do you want to ask?"

Furihata felt a small blush work its way over his cheeks as he processed what he wanted to ask. "Um…. Is Akashi really as bad as people say?" He exploded before he lost his nerve. He looked away, clearly flustered by what he asked the other. He desperately hoped that the blue haired boy wouldn't find anything off about his question.

Kuroko looked deep in thought. "Akashi really does live up to his reputation. He's cruel, uncaring, and aloof. He also does have a vicious temper when he snaps, and has no patience for those who question his authority. He's awful," an odd smile stretched on the other's lips, "but at the same time, he's…."

"He's what?"

"He different. There really isn't any other way to describe it than that. Akashi is a complex person. Understanding how he works is difficult, if not impossible to do. There are things about him that I don't understand, even with my perception of people. But to answer your question, Akashi can be as bad as what other's say."

"Ah. Thanks for answering me, Kuroko."

"Why are you suddenly curious about Akashi?"

Kuroko's blank eyes focused on him, and he felt uneasiness at the concentrated look he was giving him. "No reason." He replied nervously, stumbling over the words as he struggled not to panic. "I was just curious."

They reached the gym doors and before the shorter teen could say anything, the doors swung open with a slam. "You two are late!" Hyuga roared as he jabbed a finger in their faces.

"Only by a minute, Hyuga." Kiyoshi called from behind the bespectacled teen. "Relax."

Hyuga huffed. "Whatever. Go ahead and get changed."

Their captain moved from the entrance, and Furihata and Kuroko wasted no time rushing in and into the locker room to get changed. He was out within a two minutes after speed changing. He ran a hand through his hair as the other members lounged around the gym doing nothing. He could see his two friends Kawahara and Fukuda off in a corner arguing about one thing or another.

He faintly wondered what they were bickering about when he noticed Riko talking to Takeda seriously. A victorious smile dominated her face, and she clapped her hands together before turning away from the older man. "Everyone gather around!" She shouted.

Within an instant, everyone was huddled into a group as their coach looked at them. "I'm not sure how many of you have heard, but we have a training camp this Saturday through next week."

There was a chorus of cheers from his teammates, but he remained quiet to listen to what the caramel haired girl had to say. "We'll be going with some of our rival schools. So when we go, we're going to show that we got what it takes to be the best in Japan."

More cheers.

"I'm glad all of you agree. Go stretch and then run ten laps!"

Stretching went by quickly, and before he knew it, Furihata was already finishing his laps along with Fukuda and Kawahara. He stopped and took a moment to regain his breathing like the rest of his teammates around him. Riko stood in front of them with a small smile on her face.

"Alright. Next, we're going to have the first years…"

Time flew by after that, and when everyone had freshened up, changed out, and gotten their stuff together, a certain redhead burst in with messy red locks and a panicked expression. He laughed awkwardly at the stares he was getting. "Hey…"

"Kagami!" Hyuga roared. "Respect your upperclassmen by arriving on time!"

Kagami was yanked into a headlock despite their height difference, and put up a valiant struggle in their captain's grip. When the bespectacled teen finally thought the disrespectful underclass had enough, he released him with a soft grunt. "Don't be late again." The other warned with sharp eyes.

Kagami nodded mutely.

"Why were you late, anyways?" Riko asked, her expression stern.

Kagami rubbed the back of his neck. "Funny story…."

It turned out not to be very funny to anyone. If anything, it was shocking and nerve wracking. "You played one-on-one with Aomine!" Riko screeched with wide eyes.

"Kagami…." Kuroko said firmly.

"He started it!" The redhead said loudly. "He provoked me, and I was so close to winning. If the police officer didn't-"

"Police officer!?"

Furihata only watched in pity as Riko, Hyuga, and Kuroko chewed out the redhead mercilessly. But before anything else could happen, the bell rang, signaling for them to go to class. Everyone left with goodbyes thrown over their shoulders and Riko yelling about how there was no practice after school, but they still needed to meet up to receive their permission forms.

He approached the short-haired girl and caught her attention. "Riko, do you mind if I email you my parent's response?"

"Why?"

"They're out-of-town, and I don't have any relatives nearby to sign."

The girl nodded. "Go ahead and have them email me before Friday."

Furihata nodded and thanked her, but as he left he had one more question for her. "Hey Riko, which schools are going to the training camp?"

"Kaijō, Shūtoku, Tōō, and Rakuzan."

Furihata smiled at her and thanks her again for her answer. As he left the gym and sprinted to his classroom, he pretended that his world didn't freeze when he realized just whom he was going to see at the training camp.

* * *

***flails* I'm so sorry for not updating on time! I got so caught up with family, KHR, and I was hit with some serious Writer's Block….**

**At my school, sports have practice for the last class of the day and before or after school depending on the sport (For example, I play tennis and we have practice during the last class of the day and after school). For Seirin, I'm just going to have them have morning practices and afternoon practices. Like, morning practice can be lighter exercises while afternoon practice could contain more vigorous stuff. Does that make any sense?****  
**

**I apologize for the ways I'm spelling names. I wasn't sure whether to write character names with accents or not. So I chose the one I liked more/saw more on the site, which was the one without accents. However, I did use accents for the schools because I preferred Aomine's school spelt Tōō. Which then led to the other schools having accent marks because not doing that would be a little odd. Once again, I am sorry for my fickleness.**

**Anyways, this chapter was pretty uneventful. But I did get that Kuroko interaction I wanted, hopefully he wasn't too OOC. The plot should (keyword: SHOULD) start rolling next chapter as we go to the training camp! See you all next time, and please forgive me for the tardiness. :)**

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews, they mean a lot to me!**

**P.S: As always, I apologize for any mistakes in grammar or spelling. (I wonder how long it'll take me to stop writing this short little P.S on every chapter)**


End file.
